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Please have a read through these frequently asked questions and see if there
is an answer here.
If your question is not answered below, click here to message me on my
contact form.
Subjects:
Q. Can I make comments or ask for any changes to be made when
I see the final artwork ?
Q. Who owns the copyright of the artwork ?
Q. Do you do paintings on canvas ?
Q. How is the artwork delivered ?
Q. How much deposit do you require ?
Q. What about the framing the artwork ?
Q. How do I know the finished portrait will capture the physical
likeness and the character of my dog, and not just look like any dog of the
same breed ?
Q. What materials do you use ?
Q. When and how do I pay ?
Q. How many photo's do I need and how good do they have to
be ?
Q. What are the best angles to photograph my pet?
Q. How do I send the photo's and do I get them back ?
Q. Are there standard prices for different sized portraits
?
Q. If I change my mind once you have started the portrait,
can I get a refund ?
Q. What size artwork is best for my pet ?
Q. How long does it take to complete ?
Q. When will the portrait be sent to me ?
Q. Does the price include shipping costs?
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Q. Can I make comments or ask for any changes to be made when I
see the final artwork ?
A. When the portrait is completed an image is emailed to the client for comments
and approval. This is to ensure the client is 100% happy with the artwork, it
is at this stage that any comments, recommendations and changes can be made.
Since pets don't stay still long enough for a life portrait and photo's can
lie (or not tell the whole story), I can rely on this feedback to ensure the
coat and eye colors are accurate. Above all, client satisfaction is paramount,
so please do not hesitate to comment on you finished portrait. A large proportion
comes from word of mouth and repeat customers.
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Q. Who owns the copyright of the artwork ?
A. Each pet portrait is an original artwork, the ownership and copyright of
the artwork belong to the client. I reserve the right as the artist to reproduce
the image for marketing, on my web site, on flyers or other promotional material
or as a screen savers.
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Q. Do you do paintings on canvas ?
A. I have in the past – at this stage I have been concentrating on the
pastels, water colors and graphite illustrations. Mostly I am specializing in
doing pastels at the moment.
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Q. How is the artwork delivered ?
A. The finished artwork (depending on the medium used and size) is normally
kept flat and protected in a purpose-made cardboard folder, packaged in a suitable
box and sent by a method agreed by the client. For deliveries to the Brisbane
metropolitan area I use a same day courier requiring a signature, for deliveries
to other states you may nominate your preferred courier, for overseas countries
Fed ex is our preferred international courier, there are a number of options
which can be discussed at the time of the commission. All artwork is freight
on, reciever to pay.
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Q. How much deposit do you require ?
A. Each portrait requires a great deal of time and effort, therefore I require
a 50% deposit before I start the portrait. Your deposit and photo's is a confirmation
for me to begin with your pet portrait.
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Q. What about the framing the artwork ?
A. The artwork does not come framed, the type/color of mat board / mount and
frame is a personal choice made by the client.
Using a competent framer can make or break a portrait. I have found the larger
the frame the greater the level of importance is portrayed to the observer.
Portraits painted in pastels should be framed behind glass and it is preferable
to use a double mount to give a little more clearance between the surface of
the painting and the glass. Pastel sometimes has the habit of the pastel chalk
shedding, the clearance sometimes helps avoid the dust accumulating visually
at the bottom of the frame. Discuss further details with your framer to ensure
they can provide the clearance recommended before framing.
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Q. How do I know the finished portrait will capture the physical
likeness and the character of my dog, and not just look like any dog of the
same breed ?
A. This is a common concern among people commissioning a pet portrait. My pet
portraits are not intended to be photo realistic, the finished artwork will
capture your pets physical likeness and character. Great care is taken to capture
the small details like markings, fur, scratches, worn teeth etc. I am my most
demanding critique and I do not send the artwork to a client until I am absolutely
happy with it.
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Q. What materials do you use ?
A. For the pastel artwork, it is drawn mostly on sheets that are called colorfix
it has a gritty colored background painted onto them. Please note that only
pastel artwork is sprayed to set the artwork, to reduce smudging.
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Q. When and how do I pay ?
A. Each portrait requires a great deal of time and effort, therefore I require
a 50% deposit before I start the portrait. After the final artwork is approved
by the client the balance of the commission value plus the freight cost is paid
and the artwork is sent. There are a number of possible payment methods such
as by cheque, direct deposit, money order or cash, International clients pay
via paypal.com.
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Q. Are there standard prices for different sized portraits ?
A. The price relates directly to the amount of time required to create the artwork,
its size and detail. More work is involved when working with poor quality photo's.
The prices on the web site are given
as a guide to starting prices, as each portrait is different and is therefore
quoted separately. NOTE: Prices do not include shipping costs.
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Q. If I change my mind once you have started the portrait,
can I get a refund ?
A. There is a cancellation fee that is taken into account for the time expended
on the artwork and the materials used, mostly this is accessed according how
far advanced the work towards its completion. The procedure I use for pet portrait
commissions involves receiving a 50%
non-refundable deposit before I commence the job, once the artwork is complete
I email a scanned copy or digital photo of the portrait to the
client for their approval. The final payment is not made until the client is
completely happy with the finished product. Occasionally there are some alterations
or adjustments to be made to the artwork, as working from photos can often be
misleading, however I have never had an unhappy customer and the issue of a
refund has never arisen.
The deposit is non-refundable because a great deal of time and effort goes into
every portrait. To assist potential customers in deciding whether my style of
work is right for them I have included photo/artwork comparisons and client
feedback on my website. During the quoting / commissioning process all details
of the portrait are established (such as the composition, size etc) and if the
photos are of insufficient standard or do not provide the detail and clarity
I need to complete a job, I advise the client and do not accept the commission.
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Q. How many photo's do I need and how good do they have to
be ?
A. Three or more photo's from various angles of the head is ideal, at least
one photo without red eye is necessary for capturing the character. I can work
from one photo if it is clear enough and accurately depicts the pet's coloring
and details, however photo's often lie and for this reason it is better to supply
a few photo's. Often I use one photo for the composition and refer to other
photo's for eye or coat coloring For head study portraits the eyes are very
important, make sure the photo for the eyes is not a red eye photo. The clearer
the photo, the more detail I can render in the portrait. I don't try to invent
details, postures or expressions as this can lead to an unrealistic portrait
or one that doesn't capture the essence of your pet, so the quality of the photo
is important.
For examples of my work and photo comparisons.
If you want more information on photographic tips.
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Q. How do I send the photo's and do I get them back ?
A. You can send the photo's to me by email if they are scanned or from a digital
camera, otherwise they can be sent by normal post. If they are sent by post,
I can scan the photo's and use a print out as my working copy, this means I
don't handle your photo's while I'm working and I always return the photo's
in the same condition as they were received. Photo's are returned with the finished
pet portrait enclosed in the package.
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Q. What size artwork is best for my pet ?
A. This is according to your budget, how prominent a feature you may wish to
display the portrait.
Pet portraits pastels come in 240mm x 340mm and 480mm x 690mm sizes. For prices.
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Q. How long does it take to complete ?
A. The lead-time will depend on how many commissions I am working on at the
time. It is best to allow two to three weeks during the year and allow a bit
longer if required for Father/Mothers day etc. It takes normally a few days
to send photo's, arrange deposits/final payments, approve and send the artwork
etc. If the portrait is required in a hurry I can usually rearrange my workload
to accommodate most time schedules. Christmas is the busiest time of the year
and orders (with deposits) should be made well in advance, during this time
it is best to place the order 3 to 4 months prior to Christmas.
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Q. When will the portrait be sent to me ?
A. Portraits are posted once full payment has been received.
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Q. Does the price include shipping costs?
A. Prices quoted for artwork do not include shipping costs. All completed artwork
is frieght on, reciever to pay.
Last updated:
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
